Boat winch and transmission therefor



Jan. 15, 1963 c. A. MILLER ETAL 3,072,931

BOAT WINCH AND TRANSMISSION THEREFOR Filed Oct. 13. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I ah i 42 420 30 I) 1 N3 84 "W WT/841W, 36

36 34 64 i Chan A. Miller JL ML ALL James A. Mil/er 1N VEN TORS W l 'l Jan. 15, 1963 c. A. MILLER ETAL BOAT WINCH AND TRANSMISSION THEREFOR Filed 001;. 13. 1960 3 SheetsSheet 2 Chan A. Mil/er James A. Mil/er INVENTOR$ I BY WW 3M3 Jan. 15, 1963 c. A. MILLER ETAL 3,072,931

BOAT wmcn AND TRANSMISSION THEREFOR Filed Oct. 15. 1960 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Chan A. Miller James A. Mil/er 1NVENTOR6' trite 3,072,931 BQAT WINCH AND TRANSMISSION THEREFQR Chan A. Miller, PO. Box 1532, and James A. Miller, 1408 N. Wheeler St., both of Plant City, Fla. Fiied Oct. 13, 1960, Scr. No. 62,496 8 (llaims. (Cl. 9-30) This invention comprises a novel and useful boat winch and transmission therefor and more particularly relates to a mechanism to facilitate the lifting and lowering of small boats from and into the water.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a boat winch of a compact but sturdy construction particularly adapted for lifting small boats as of the outboard motor type from the water for various purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a boat winch assembly in accordance with the preceding object which shall have a three point support of the boat to be lifted to thereby effect a more even distribution of the weight of the boat upon the winch and a more uniform lifting of the boat from the water.

Another object of the invention is to provide a boat winch in accordance with the preceding object having an improved transmission assembly by means of which power from a single source is applied to a plurality of winch shafts to effect a simultaneous uniform lifting of both ends of the boat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device in accordance with the foregoing objects which will enable a boat to be readily and securely positioned at any desired elevation upon the support from the water without danger of reversal of the mechanism and dropping of the boat into the water.

An additional important object of the invention is to provide a boat winch assembly in accordance with the foregoing objects having a simple but sturdy construction of winch shafts arranged in a T-shaped formation for effecting a lifting of the prow by a single winch and of the stern of the boat by a pair of oppositely extending winches all operated from a single power source simul-' taneously.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a boat winch in accordance with the foregoing objects which shall be provided with automatic means for cutting off operation of the winch assembly after the boat has been raised to a desired elevation from the water.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a winch assembly in accordance with the preceding objects wherein the lifting cables may be conveniently weighted to effect their depending position from the winch shafts for convenient use in attaching the same to a boat to be lifted.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan View, parts being broken away, and showing a preferred embodiment of the boat winch in accordance with this invention, positioning of a boat with regard thereto being shown in dotted lines and in phantom therein;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the arrangement of FIGURE 1, parts being broken away and the boat being shown in phantom, and illustrating the manner in which the winch cables are attached to the prow and stern portions of a boat for lifting the same;

FIGURE 3 is a rear end elevational view of the arrangement of FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational View upon an en- 3,7Z,%l Patented Jan. 15, 1%63 larged scale of the transmission casing forming an important feature of the winch assembly and showing the power source mounted upon and connected to the trans mission assembly;

FIGURE 5 is an end elevational view taken from the left end of the transmission case of FIGURE 4 with the power source being omitted therefrom;

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan view of the transmission case of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the transmission case of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal sectional view through the transmission case of FIGURE 5.

Owners of small boats and especially of such boats as of the outboard motor type often find it desirable if not actually necessary to lift or remove the boat from time to time from the water for various purposes as for example for storage, for inspection and servicing of the boat hull and for other reasons. It is therefore the basic purpose of this invention to provide a boat winch assembly to facilitate the removing of a boat from the water and the lowering of the same into the water either with the boat empty or with the boat carrying a load therein.

The winch assembly in accordance with this invention and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings includes a support structure indicated generally by the numeral lit and which includes a plurality of laterally and horizontally extending support arms 12 disposed in generally parallel relation and which are adapted to overlie a boat indicated generally by the numeral 14 which is to be raised or lowered from the water thereby. As shown best in FIGURES 2 and 3, the boat 14 upon its bow portion may be provided with a lifting hook to while the stern portion of the boat, as for example the transom 18 thereof is provided with a pair of transversely spaced eye bolts or the like 29 by means of which lifting cables may be attached to the boat to form a three point suspension for the same.

The boat winch assembly identified generally by the numeral 30 is of generally T-shaped configuration. For this purpose there is provided a longitudinally extending winch shaft 32 adapted to be disposed above the longitudinal axis or" the boat together with a pair of oppositeiy disposed transversely extending transverse winch shafts each indicated by the numeral 34 and which are adapted to extend crosswise of the rear or stern portion of the boat. Each of these winch shafts has a lifting cable 36 wound thereon which by means of suitable fasteners or hooks 38 is adapted to be engaged with the previously mentioned lifting eye bolts 16 and 2% whereby upon rotation of the winch shafts the boat may be lifted from or lowered upon the water.

In addition to the previously mentioned support arms 12 which upon their top surface are provided with suitable journals 40 in which the longitudinal winch shaft 32 is journaled, the support structure includes a rear horizontal support arm 42 of sufficient width to form a platform upon which is mounted a transmission assembly including a transmission case 44 by means of which power is imparted to the various winch shafts. It will be further observed that a source of power such as an electric motor 46 is conveniently mounted upon the top of the transmission case for applying power to the transmission assembly as set forth hereinafter.

Referring now in particular to FIGURES 4, 7 and 8 it will be een that the transmission case 44- consists of a conventional casing having a removable top or closure plate 50. Journaled in the end walls 52 of the transmission case is a power input shaft 54 whose opposite ends extend through the end walls being journaled in conventional journal boxes 56. Secured to one end of the 3 shaft 54 is a pulley 58 which as shown in FIGURE 4 is connected as by a belt 60 with the driving pulley 62 of the electric motor 46 constituting the source of power. As will be noted, the two extending ends of the shaft 54 enable the source of power to be coupled with either end of the power input shaft 54 as desired.

Also journaled in the end walls 52 of the crank case by means of similar journal bearings 56 is a second power take-off shaft 64 whose opposite ends likewise extend outwardly of the transmission case, the shaft 64 being generally parallel to the power input shaft 54. A rst power take-off shaft 66 is journaled in the transmission case at right angles to and lies between the parallel shafts 54 and 64, and likewise has its opposite ends extending through side walls 70 of the crank case being journaled in bearing assemblies 56 therein.

Power is transmitted from the power input shaft directly to the first power take-01f shaft 66 by means of a non-reversing gear drive consisting of a worm gear 72 splined to the power input shaft 54 and a pinion gear 74 which is spined to the first power take-off shaft 66. in this manner a positive non-reversible drive is imparted to the power take-off shaft and, when it is desired to effect reverse rotation of the latter, it is necessary to reverse the rotation of the motor 46.

As shown best in FIGURE 7 the first power take-off shaft 66 in turn is geared to the second power take-off shaft 64 through the pair of helical gears 76 and 80 which are respectively splined upon the shafts 66 and 64. It will be observed that the non-reversible gearing '72 and 74 serves to positively prevent reverse rotation of either of the power output shafts 66 or 64 except when the source of power is reversely operated. This prevents the weight of the boat from accidentally causing a reversal of the rotation of the gearing assembly and thus dropping the boat into the water.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 1 it will beobserved that one end of the first power takeoff shaft 66 is connected by a shaft coupling 80 to a drive shaft 82 which in turn is connected to the longitudinal winch shaft 32. Thus power is imparted to the cable 36 disposed at the front end or bow of the boat.

In a similar manner, the opposite ends of the second power take-off shaft 64 are likewise connected as by shaft couplings 84 to the transverse winch shafts 34, the inner ends of the latter being thus supported by the gear casing while their outer ends are carried and journaled in bearing assemblies 86 carried by the horizontal support arm 42.,

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 2 and 3 it will be observed that the lifting cables 36 connected to the various winch shafts are preferably provided with weights 90 thereon to thereby ensurethat the lower ends of these cables will be always in a depending position in readiness for engagement with the eye bolts on the hull of the boat. Further, as indicated best in FIGURE 3, there is provided a control switch 92 which may be conveniently secured to the support arm 42 adjacent the transmission case 44 and which has a switch actuating arm 94 thereon which is apertured for passage of one of the lifting cables 36 therethrough. The latter is provided with an adjustable actuating member or stop 96 thereon which is adjustably positioned upon the cable so that when the boat has reached the desired elevation this stop will actuate the switch lever 94 and thus discontinue further actuation of the source of power 46. Thus, once the motor has been placed in operation, the owner may be assured that the boat will be automatically stopped at the desired elevation and due to the non-reversible gearing will be securely held at that position until the motor is reversed in its operation.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skiLed in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A boat winch comprising a support having longitudinal and lateral horizontal portions and a pair of horizontal transverse lifting arms, said lateral portion and said lifting arms being disposed in side by side relation and being terminally attached to an end and spaced intermediate portions respectively of said longitudinal portion and being adapted to overhang the fore and aft portions of a boat to be lifted, a T-shaped winch assembly mounted upon the top surface of said support and comprising a longitudinal winch shaft rotatably mounted upon said lifting arms and a pair of transverse winch shafts rotatably mounted upon said lateral portion, a power transmission mounted upon said lateral portion and to which each of said winch shafts is operatively connected, a source of power connected to said power transmission, cables on each winch shaft for attachment to the fore and aft portions of a boat and providing a three point suspension for said boat.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said power source is mounted upon and carried by said power transmission.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said power transmission includes a transmission case and a power input shaft journaled in said case and having an end projecting therefrom to which said power source is connected, first and second power take-off shafts journaled in said case and connected to said input shaft, means connecting said longitudinal winch shaft to said first power takeoff shaft and means connecting said transverse winch shafts to the opposite ends of said second power take'off shaft.

4. The combination of claim 3 including non-reversible gearing in said case connecting said input shaft to said power take-off shafts.

5. The combination of claim 4 including control means for said power source including an electric circuit, a control switch for said circuit, a switch actuator on said cables engaging said control switch to cause stoppage of the operation of said power source when the boat winch has lifted a boat.

6. The combination of claim 5 including weights on said cables.

7. The combination of claim 1 including control means for said power source including an electric circuit, a control switch for said circuit, a switch actuator on said cables engaging said control switch to cause stoppage of the operation of said power source when the boat winch has lifted a boat.

8. The combination of claim 7 including weights on said cables.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 69,220 Joyce Sept. 24, 1867 2,007,214 Proctor July 9, 1935 2,052,674 Symonds Sept. 1, 1936 2,054,083 Hyland Sept. 15, 1936 2,732,144 Jones Jan. 24, 1956 2,766,018 Scheuerpfiug Oct. 9, 1956 2,808,597 Odell Oct. 8, 1957 2,948,512 Grenshaw Aug. 9, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 39,341 Denmark Sept. 28, 1928 

1. A BOAT WINCH COMPRISING A SUPPORT HAVING LONGITUDINAL AND LATERAL HORIZONTAL PORTIONS AND A PAIR OF HORIZONTAL TRANSVERSE LIFTING ARMS, SAID LATERAL PORTION AND SAID LIFTING ARMS BEING DISPOSED IN SIDE BY SIDE RELATION AND BEING TERMINALLY ATTACHED TO AN END AND SPACED INTERMEDIATE PORTIONS RESPECTIVELY OF SAID LONGITUDINAL PORTION AND BEING ADAPTED TO OVERHANG THE FORE AND AFT PORTIONS OF A BOAT TO BE LIFTED, A T-SHAPED WINCH ASSEMBLY MOUNTED UPON THE TOP SURFACE OF SAID SUPPORT AND COMPRISING A LONGITUDINAL WINCH SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED UPON SAID LIFTING ARMS AND A PAIR OF TRANSVERSE WINCH SHAFTS ROTATABLY MOUNTED UPON SAID LATERAL PORTION, A POWER TRANSMISSION MOUNTED UPON SAID LATERAL PORTION AND TO WHICH EACH OF SAID WINCH SHAFTS IS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED, A SOURCE OF POWER CONNECTED TO SAID POWER TRANSMISSION, CABLES ON EACH WINCH SHAFT FOR ATTACHMENT TO THE FORE AND AFT PORTIONS OF A BOAT AND PROVIDING A THREE POINT SUSPENSION FOR SAID BOAT. 